David humphbeys



(No Model.)

D. HUMPHRBYS.

SELF CLOSING HATGHWAY.

Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

Imaz/@245021- Wvzesses:

N. PETERS. Pham-I imngrnphm. wnshingeon. D.c.

IlNirn STATES rrr-CE,

PATENT DAVID II'UMPHREYS, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR- TO ARTHUR C.HUMPHREYS,i OF SAME PLACE.

SELF-en osme HATCHWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,136, dated October2, 1883. Application filed September 2, 1882. (No model.)

To all IIJ/"1,0m '1lb may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID HUMrI-Innvs, a

' citizen of the United States, and a resident of Norfolk, in the countyof Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and valuable Im.-p rovement in Self-Closing Hatehw( ys, and I do hereby declare that thefollowin g is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to thc letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

Figurel of the drawings is a vertical sectional'view of my device. Figs.2 and 3 are detail views.

This invention has relation to devices for automatically opening andclosing the wellhole of a hoisting apparatus or elevator; and theinvention consists in the construction and novel arrangement of thehorizontally-reciprocating platform or platform sections, the slottedbent levers pivoted to th'e frame-work of the elevator-way, the slidingconnections of said slotted bent levers, and the horizontal grooves orguides of the platform, all as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates an elevator-car orvertically-moving platform arranged in the vertical way A', which isconstructed with upright framing B, of suitable strength to support theapparatus.

C represents the oor and ceiling or horizontalpartition between twostories of a building in which the elevator is placed. In thispartition, alongside the opening orwell-hole c, is formed a recess orrecesses, b, extending horizontally, and provided with grooves or guidesII, designed to be furnished usually with anti-friction rollers, andserving to engage the edges of the horizontally-reciproeating platformor platform-sections, as indicated at D. The platform is a light butstrong structure, of wood or metal, which, when thrown out from itsrecess b, will move across the wellhole and close it, the same beingopened when the platform is moved horizontallyinto its recess, so thatthe way is left clear for the elevator-car.

L L indicate bent metallic bars or levers,

which are fiattened from side to side at their middle or bent portions,c, which are connected to'the framing of the elevator-way by stron gpivots E. Each well-hole is provided with a set of levers above and aset of levers below its plane, the upper levers being connected to theplatform D by their lower ends or arms, and the lower levers to saidplatform by their upper ends or arms, as indicated in the drawings. Bymeans of these levers the platform is moved back and forth horizontally,and in order to provide for the vertical play of each lever a slidingconnection is made by slotting the lever in its middle or pivotportionc, the

lever passing through a perforated bearing of A said platform. p

The elevator-car is provided with grooved wheels or bearings T,marginally arranged. at its top and bottom to engage the free arms c ofthe levers L when the car is moving toward or from the wellhole. On thedownward movement of the ear the lower pin, T, will en-` gage the lowerarm of the upper lever, causing it to vibrate from the oblique into thevertical position, and thereby to move the platform D from the well-holeinto its recess, so that the car can pass down. In continuing thedownward movement from the well-hole the lower bearing, T, of the carengages the lower arm of the lower lever and causes it to vibrate,thereby throwing its upper arm outward from the vertical into theoblique position, carrying the platform D across the well-hole to closethe same. During the upward movement of the car the upper bearing willengage the respective upper arms of the levers, also opening and closingthe well-hole by automatically moving the platform from or over thcsame.

Usually the bearings T of the car will consist of grooved rollers onsuitable axle-pins, which will engage the lever-arms, tracking the same.

In some constructions it may be advisable to make that arm of each leverwhich is pivoted to the platform in two parts, both slotted andconnected by bolts in such a manner that IOO 'its center, to provide forthe free movement of the rope or cable by which the car is operated. Iftwo half-sections are used, edge notches may be made in the middle ofeach meeting edge with the same object in view.

These meeting edges should be flanged to engage eaeh other. f

A hatohway provided with double doors arranged to slide to and from cachother, andto be operated by the elevator, which in ascending anddescending comesy in Contact with levers fulcrumed to the framing andconnected with the' said doors, so-that the door ahead of the elevatoris opened and the one behind elosed simultaneously by the movement ofthe elevator, has been used priorto my invention, and I do not thereforeclaim, broadly, such a Construction.

Having described this invention, what I elaim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-v t l. The slotted bent levers L, pivoted to theframe of the elevator-way, having free arms c,

and armsconneoted to a horizontally-reciproeating platform, or toplatform-sections, and sliding connections c E, to provide for theyertieal play, substantially as speeied.

2. rlhe combination, with an elevator car or platform and its way, of arecessed horizontal partition between the stories of a building, havinghorizontal guides, a horizontally-reeiproeating platform, and theslotted bent levers L, pivoted to the upright framing B, substantiallyas specified. 4

In testimonythat I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of witnesses. y

DAVID HUMPHREYS.

Vitnesses:

VILLIAM HANNAi-r B uoUGH'roN, XV. H. BRoUGHroN, ARTHUR CAMERONHUMPHRnYs.

